Child&#39;s vehicle



Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

y FRANK F. B. CHAPMAN, or HOLLIIs, NEW HAMPSHIRE. i.

CHILns VEHICLE.

Application filed January This invention relates to a Vwheeled Vehicleof the coaster type, including a platform and running gear includingrear' wheels on an axle, fixed to the platform, and a steering wheellocated in advance of the platform and 'adapted to be turned by therider to change the course of the vehicle.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and durable structureincluding` improvedmeans for enabling the rider to turn the steeringwheel.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification-Figure 1 is a side view of a childs vehicle l5 embodying the invention.,i

Figure 2 is a top view of the same.

Figure 3 is a. View similarA to a portion of Figure 1, showing thesteering wheel deflected from its normal position.

Figure l .is a section on line 4.-*-4 of Figure 1.v

Figure' 5 is a view showing amodication.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing a different embodimentof the means for 'rendering` the steering-wheel dirigible.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of thefigures.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 5, 12 designates a platform which may beprovided with a seat 10. 13, 13 .designate forwardly projectingresilient spacedapart arms, fixed to the platform, and adapted tonormally extend .substantially parallel with the longitudinal medianline of the platform, and `to be simultaneously sprung laterally, oneoutward and the other inward, as indicated by full and dotted lines inFigure 3. The

rial,preferably steel, although seasoned resilient wood, such ashickorymay be employed. In this instance, the arms are extensions of.elongated strips or bars 13a, secured to the platform by bolts 14. Therunning gear includes rear wheels 15, on an axle 16, fixed to the rearportion of the platform. As here shown, the axle is centrally offset orunderslung, and the bars 13a bear on the oflset portion of the axle, andare secured to the latter by blocks 17.

The running gear includes also a steeringwheel 18, connected with theforward portions of the arms 13, and normally kmaintained therebyparallel with the rear wheels,

arms may be of any suitably resilientmate-v s, 1926. serial ivo/79,551.

sov that the vehicle normally runs in al straight course. The .steeringwheel may be mounted to rotate on'a fixed axle 19, extending through thearms 13, and -fixed thereto Vby any suitable means, such vas keys 20, as.indicated by Figure 4, theV axle andthe means fixing it to the armscausing the arms Y to ber deflected simultaneously by pressure appliedat the outer side of either arm.

I provide 'foot rests projecting outward from each arm, so thatpressureof one of the riders feet on the rest vat either side of thearmswillcause the simultaneous deflection of the two arms, onebeingdeflected inward and the other outward. Preferably the foot rests areextensions 21 of the fixed axle 19. In the modification-shown by Figure5, short journals 22 are fixed to the steeringwheel and are journaled torotate in bearings. in the arms 13. The journals may be pro- Y videdwith shoulders 23, bearing on opposimilar to Figure 4,

site sides of the arms, so that the journals and the steering-wheelcause the arms to be deflected simultaneously by pressure applied .atthe outer side of either arm. In this modification, independent footrests 2la are provided. Y

It will now be seen that if the rider wishes to proceed straight ahead,he' will exert equal pressure on the two foot rests, .and that if hewishes to change the Course, he will increase the pressure of one foot,and thereby deflect the arms 13, andmove the steering-wheel out ofparallelism with the rear wheels. If the seat is removed, thel rider maylie'face downward on the `form and exert `pressure lon, the rests 21 or21'aby his hands. The platforrnmay be elongated by an extension 129,projecting over portionsof the arms 13, without attachment thereto. l

It will be seen by reference to Figure 3,.. that when pressure isincreased on eitherA foot rest, the farmg13 connected lwith the otherfoot rest is bowed inward sufficiently to decrease the distance inastraight line between its fixed inner end and the axle of thesteering-wheel, .thus permitting the illustrated deflection of thesteering-wheel, and that when pressure is equal on the foot rests, orentirely removed therefrom, the arms and steering-wheel will assume thepositions shown by Figure 2. The width of the arms between their top andbottom edges must be suflicient to prevent downward bowing of the plat-varms by the load, or in other Words, to render the arms verticallynon-resilient, so that they cannot sag or bend in a vertical plane. Thethickness of the arms should be considerably less than their width, torender the armsy Ylaterally resilient, and permit the lateral swingingof the arms and the inward bowing of one arm, as shown by Figure 3.

The arms 13 collectivelyl constitute an embodiment of supportingv meansengaged with the axle of the steering-wheel and connecting said axlewith the platform, said means being transversely resilient and adaptedto normally maintain the steeringwheel sub stantially parallel with therear wheels, to direct the vehicle in a straight course, and verticallynon-resilient to prevent downward yielding of the forward portion of theplatform.

Figure 6 shows a different embodiment of said supporting means,including a single resilient arm or bar 25,which is an extension of abar 25@ vfixed as by bolts 26 to the longitudinal center of theplatform, and a forward portion projecting forward from the platformVand provided with a forli 27, to the arms of which the axle 19 of thesteering-wheel 118 is secured. The steering-v-Jheel is normallymaintained substantially parallel with the rear wheels by the arm andfork.

The arm 25 may be proportioned like the arms 13, although preferablythicker, and isv laterally resilient and vertically non-resilient. Thefoot rests may be extensions of the axle 19 and the arranQ-'ement issuchthatV unbalanced pressure exerted on either foot rest deflects thesteering-wheel from paralvlelisni with therear wheels and changes thecourse of the vehicle. l

In each of the embodiments sho-wn the vehicle body includes a rigidrearr portion and a resilient forward portion. preferred embodimentshown by Figures 1, 2 and 3, the rigid portion is composed oftheplatform 12' vand the bars 13a fixed to the Vlongitudinal edges of theplatform. Theresilient forward portion is a two-part portion formed bythe spaced apart resilient arms 13, which are resilient extensions ofthe fixed bars 13, In Figure Gthe 'rigid portion is composed of theVplat-,form and the bar 25l fixed to the longitudinal central portion ofthe platform. The resilient forward portion is a one-part portion formedby the ln the single resilient arm 25, which is an extension of the bar25L and by the forli 27.

In each embodiment the forward portion is adapted to normally maintainthe steering wheel in position to cause movement of the vehicle in astraight path and to be flexed horizontally towardeither side of thelongitudinal median line of the vehicle, to

cause movement in a curved path, theforward portion being in veach caseinflexible vertically to prevent sagging.

l claim: v

i. A childs wheeled vivehicle comprising a body including' a rigid rearportion and a resilient forward portion, rear wheels on an axleconnected with'the rear portion, a steering wheel Von an axle connectedwith the forward extremity of the forward portion, foot rests connectedwith the forward portion at opposite sides of the steering wheel, theforward portion being adapted to norn'ially maintain the steering wheelin position to cause movement of the vehicle in a straight path, and tobe flexed horizontally toward either side of Vthe lonv gitndinal medianline of the vehicle, to canse movement in a curved path, vthe forwardportion beinginflexible vertically andy thereb" adapted to preventsagging.

2. il; childsv vehicle comprising' a platform, longitudinalV bars fixedrigidly tothe platform at opposite edges' thereof, said platform andbars constituting Va rigid rear portion `of the vehicle body, the barsbeing provided with forwardly projecting, resil ient, spaced apart'extensions, collectively constituting a resilient forward portion of thebody, rear wheels on an axle connected with the rear portion, a steeringVwheel on anV connected with the forward ends of the extensions, thewheel being located between the extensions, and foot' rests connestedwith the extensions at opposite sides of the steeringwheel, the saidYextensions being adapte-d Yto normally maintain the steering wheel inposition to cause movement ofthe ve' .cle in a straight path, and vto beiiexed horizontally toward eitherside ofthe longitudinal medianline ofthe vehicle, to canse movementin a4 curved path, the extensions beinginflexible vertically', so that they preventsagging. j; in testimonyVwhereof I have afilxedgmy FRANK' CHAPMAN.

. signature.

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